


It's Mateo actually

by assassi



Category: 9-1-1 (TV), 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Extended Families, Family, Humor, Past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28070499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assassi/pseuds/assassi
Summary: “Marvin?!”, Athena narrowed her eyes.The young man paled, something visible even with his darker complexion. His eyes widened and his hands gripped the rag he was holding as if for dear life.“Uh, it’s Mateo, actually. Ma’am. Officer Ma’am. Sergeant Grant.”
Relationships: Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, Carlos Reyes/TK Strand mentioned, Eddie Diaz/Evan "Buck" Buckley
Comments: 19
Kudos: 331





	It's Mateo actually

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’ve been re-watching old episodes on TV and I just realized: did Athena arrest Mateo?! And I just had to write this :D

The road was almost empty even though it was in the middle of the day and they had just passed another somewhat big town. The deserted highway could be explained easily though: heat wave.

Eddie Diaz had experienced many different kinds of heat in his life: El Paso, Afghanistan, LA… Evan Buckley… That didn’t make it any less tiresome to drive hours on end in the middle of a heat wave, from one furnace to another, from LA to Texas.

“Why couldn’t we take the plane?”

Eddie gritted his teeth, the question sounding way like “are we there yet”. It didn’t even come from the actual child in the car. It came from Buck.

“Because there were no convenient flights”, Eddie said patiently.

“And we had to go now?”, Buck checked again.

Eddie counted to ten. “Yes, since my cousin’s birthday is tomorrow and I haven’t seen him and his wife since I left Texas.”

“So, you already missed a birthday or two.”

Eddie bit his lip and reminded himself that he loves the guy, loves the guy, loves the guy, not gonna yell at him, not gonna kick him out of the car, there is a child present (even though Chris has made no sound in the last hour, peacefully sleeping in his car seat).

In the car behind them Athena watched the dull scenery on the side of the highway as Bobby drove, her mind whirring with thoughts.

“Hey”, Bobby called.

She turned back to face him with a tired smile.

“Where are you?”, he asked.

“I just wonder what we’re doing, going with them. It’s a family gathering.”

Bobby gave her a look. She sighed.

“I know, I know what they all say, that we’re Buck’s unofficial parents but that’s still unofficial, Bobby. It feels weird to just pop on those people’s doorstep along with him and Eddie.”

“Eddie invited us”, Bobby reminded, “His parents will be there too. I think he wants Buck to feel… safer? At least not inadequate. And…”, he paused.

“And?”, she pushed.

“It’s just a hunch but I think Eddie wants to make this look more official, more… stable to his parents. That’s he’s with Buck and Buck’s got a family too.”

Athena’s face softened and she held his hand over the center console.

* * *

They must have mispredicted the time they’d arrive in Austin because it was way too early to just go to Eddie’s cousin’s house for the party. Since said cousin was a fireman too (and probably Eddie’s inspiration to go down that road after the army) Eddie suggested they just drop by the firehouse. Bobby looked interested and Athena agreed with a fond smile.

“Are you going to be comparing?”, she teased.

“No”, he answered quickly. Then, “…maybe a little. I’ve heard of Captain Strand, he’s quite renowned. I’d like to meet the legend.”

“You’re afraid Buck’s gonna have a new hero”, she chuckled.

“Never!”, Buck said from behind them as they all walked into the firehouse.

The 126th was scattered around, caught in between calls and doing inventory and cleaning. The first to notice the newcomers was a beautiful woman in a hijab.

“Hi. Can I help you?”, she asked.

“Ah, you’re also not from here”, Buck grinned.

“And how can you tell?”, she lifted one impeccable eyebrow.

“I figure you’d have greeted with a ‘howdy’ if you were”, the blonde shot back, making her laugh as the rest of her team slowly started gathering around her.

Eddie rolled his eyes, offering his hand for a handshake.

“Excuse him, he’s a puppy in disguise”, he explained, followed by a ‘hey!’ and more laugher on the woman’s part. “I’m Eddie Diaz. I’m looking for…”

“Oh my God, you’re Judd’s cousin, heeey!”, she pulled him into a hug, surprising an ‘oof’ out of him. “He just went to shower. I’m Marjan, this is T.K. and…”

“Marvin?!”, Athena narrowed her eyes.

The young man paled, something visible even with his darker complexion. His eyes widened and his hands gripped the rag he was holding as if for dear life.

“Uh, it’s Mateo, actually. Ma’am. Officer Ma’am. Sergeant Grant.”

“Ooooh, there’s a story here”, Marjan rubbed her hands together impatiently, eyes wide and gleeful like she was a kid on Christmas Eve.

* * *

By the time the infamous Captain Strand joined him Athena had filled the team on Mateo/Marvin’s interesting background. He’d tried to deny at first, claiming it must have been a mistake, but as Athena had told them that she “could never mistake that face even without the ridiculous pink hair” his colleagues were howling with laugher.

“What’s going on here?”, Owen asked as he joined them.

“Cap! Wow, Cap, you won’t believe it! Turns out we’ve been working with a criminal!”, Marjan’s face suddenly lost its wide smile and she turned big worried eyes at Athena. “You’re not here arrest him, right!? We’re actually kind of fond of him…”

“Wow, thanks, Marjan”, Mateo/Marvin bit back.

“No, no, he’s actually redeemed himself. And I’m not here on police business. As a matter of fact…”

“You’ve only been here for a few minutes and already causing a riot, cous’”, Judd’s voice boomed. He and Eddie fell into a heartfelt greeting, the rest of them waiting awkwardly as the cousins released each other from the bear-hug and Eddie pointed at Bobby, Athena and Buck.

“This is my boyfriend and his adoptive parents.”

A few awkward moments passed, Buck swaying nervously on his heels. They looked quite open-minded but still, would these people accept them?

“Well, it sure as hell looks like a lot more interesting family gathering”, T.K. grinned, nodding at Buck. “Don’t sweat it, I’m gonna bring my boyfriend along too”, he winked.

“And I’m gonna have a nice long chat with Marvin here”, Athena smiled. “He’s got a lot to fill me in.”

He groaned but the rest of them all laughed as the two firehouses headed together for the Ryder house as one big, weird loving family.


End file.
